Much of the Earth's population spends a great deal of time indoors. Modern buildings tend to be far less drafty and are better sealed than their older counterparts, and have sealed air systems providing better control air environments. Similarly, people now spend time in increasing amounts of time in cars, airplanes, ships, underwater chambers, and other spaces with recirculated air. Due to the prevalence of allergies, the increased amount of time that people spend indoors, and an overall increase in awareness of air quality issues, people are more rigorously evaluating the quality of the air and airborne pollutants in enclosed and even open spaces. Indoor air quality is receiving increased attention and evaluation, and many consumers desire evaluation of the air in their environment.
Thus, there is a need for an efficient and inexpensive system and method of providing air quality analysis and, in particular, a system of capturing particulates within air and evaluating the nature and quantity therein. There is also a need for devices to obtain aliquots of air and rapidly capture and convey information about the nature and quantity of particulates therein. The present novel technology addresses these needs.